Toggle Menu
News >

Strom Publishes Book on History of Hunger Relief

March 19, 2024

By Jessica Firpi ’11

History professor Claire Strom has co-written a new book on the national hunger relief movement alongside Dave Krepcho, president and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.

Image of https://cdn.sanity.io/images/qe2ul2l0/production/bd25dc2666780f497073ab9d356909aeb341d269-1333x2000.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=68&w=203 203w, https://cdn.sanity.io/images/qe2ul2l0/production/bd25dc2666780f497073ab9d356909aeb341d269-1333x2000.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=68&w=405 405w, https://cdn.sanity.io/images/qe2ul2l0/production/bd25dc2666780f497073ab9d356909aeb341d269-1333x2000.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=68&w=608 608w, https://cdn.sanity.io/images/qe2ul2l0/production/bd25dc2666780f497073ab9d356909aeb341d269-1333x2000.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=68&w=810 810w, https://cdn.sanity.io/images/qe2ul2l0/production/bd25dc2666780f497073ab9d356909aeb341d269-1333x2000.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=68&w=1215 1215w, https://cdn.sanity.io/images/qe2ul2l0/production/bd25dc2666780f497073ab9d356909aeb341d269-1333x2000.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=68&w=1333 1333w
Photo by Scott Cook.

In Empty Plates: A History of Hunger Relief and Reflections on the Evolution of Feeding America Food Banks, history professor Claire Strom and Second Harvest Food Bank CEO Dave Krepcho cover a worldwide review of hunger relief over the centuries until the 1960s, then delve deeper into U.S. domestic hunger relief and the national food bank movement through to present day—a span of more than 40 years.

The book shares different voices from across the country, offering important history and valuable perspectives as the meal gap continues to grow. Feeding America—the nation’s largest hunger relief organization with 200 members and 60,000 food distribution sites across the country—is at the heart of the movement. During the past five years, approximately 50 percent of the organization’s food banks have primarily changed leadership due to the baby boomers retiring. Empty Plates shares their wisdom and celebrates their legacy, emphasizing that with 38 million people deemed food insecure or otherwise hungry, institutional memory is essential for learning, building on success, advancing the cause, and not repeating the same mistakes.

The book is slated for publication in late summer 2024 by Journey Institute Press.


Related News

July 01, 2026

Rollins Research Earns National Honors for Sustainability Study

Communication professor David Painter and recent graduate Lauren Velazquez ’25MSC earned third place for their research paper in the highly competitive national public relations division at a journalism conference.

Rollins Research Earns National Honors for Sustainability Study

July 29, 2025

Preparing for the First 6 Weeks of College

Micki Meyer, Lord Family Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs for Engagement and Dean of Rollins Gateway at Rollins College, discusses the critical first six weeks for students beginning college.

Preparing for the First 6 Weeks of College

July 25, 2025

Social Entrepreneurship Professor Contributes to Investopedia Article

Walter Mswaka, an associate professor of social entrepreneurship, contributed to this Investopedia article about building your own business.

Social Entrepreneurship Professor Contributes to Investopedia Article